Cat diseases (3)
How can you prevent them and manage your cat when he is affected?
Anaplasmosis
Anaplasmosis is a bacterial infection of the blood transmitted by ticks. Rare in cats, it is easily treated, but the diagnosis remains difficult to establish.
Anaplasmosis is a bacterial infectious disease. It is transmitted to the cat by a tick bite. Even if the cat appears to be more resistant than the dog to this type of pathology, it is not excluded that he may catch it.
Two forms of infection
Anaplasmosis is one of the vector-borne blood diseases, in which case the vector is the tick. However, there are two forms of bacterial infection due to anaplasma. Ixode-type ticks, present in the northern hemisphere and cold regions, transmit the anaplasma phagocytophilum bacterium and cause feline granulometry anaplasmosis. Blood Rhipiceptalus ticks transmit the anaplasma platys bacteria responsible for cyclic thrombocytopenia. This second form is the most common and results in a decrease in the number of blood platelets. The tick in question grows in temperate and tropical regions.
A cat suffering from anaplasmosis presents different symptoms which should, however, be compared with a possibility of infection: fever, anemia, neutropenia, pallor of the mucous membranes. These symptoms are not very severe. The most specific is often a tendency to hemorrhage: the cat bleeds from the nose, has blood in the urine or stool, etc.
There are several possibilities for the veterinarian when he suspects anaplasmosis. The blood smear followed by a microscopic study to observe the presence of bacteria (they have the form of morulas) may be uncertain if the decrease in blood platelet count is intermittent. Serological tests can reveal the presence of anti-anaplasma spp antibodies, and a molecular analysis, called PCR, can be performed to detect bacterial DNA.
The treatment of anaplasmosis is both specific and effective. It consists of administering doxycycline to the cat. The cat begins to heal after 24 or 48 hours. The treatment lasts from fifteen days to one month. It can be supplemented by a weekly platelet count.
Cat conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the tissue that lines the inside of the eyelids and part of the eyeball. It can affect one or both eyes and can have various more or less serious causes.
Cat conjunctivitis is quite common. It can be contagious, but only between cats. It can have different causes, from simple dust in the eye to a more serious viral infection. Your cat's eyes are running, the eyelids can be glued, the third eyelid can be visible. In all cases, it is advisable to consult your veterinarian.
The causes of conjunctivitis are varied. These causes can be more or less serious and can lead to conjunctivitis in one or both eyes. Your cat may be allergic to pollens or grasses. As in humans, these allergens can trigger transient conjunctivitis. It can also be a "simple" irritation when in contact with a speck of dust.
One of the most common causes of conjunctivitis is coryza. It is a disease developed in contact with other cats. One of the strains of the virus, Herpes Virus, triggers conjunctivitis. It can be latent for several years and can be revealed in case of stress or weakening of your cat. Kittens are the most affected by this form of conjunctivitis. Chlamydia is also one of the causes of conjunctivitis: it is particularly aggressive and causes major swelling of the conjunctiva.
Most often, conjunctivitis is not serious, but if no treatment is put in place, the entire eye can be affected and vision can be impaired. It may also be a symptom of another disease such as feline immunodeficiency virus.
The symptoms of conjunctivitis are not always the same and vary according to the cause. In any case, your cat will have runny eyes. If these discharges are thick, yellowish or greenish, an infection has developed: pus can form and prevent the eyelids from opening completely. If it is an allergy or irritation caused by dust, the flows will remain quite clear. Whatever the form of conjunctivitis, your cat will blink more frequently and the third eyelid may be permanently visible. He's going to rub his eyes with his paws because they can itch him. Finally, the sick eye may be red and swollen.
If one or both of your cat's eyes start to leak, you need a diagnosis from your veterinarian. He alone can determine the cause of the inflammation and therefore prescribe appropriate treatment. He will take a swab sample. He may request a bacteriological examination on this swab or a viral search.
Depending on the origin of conjunctivitis, the treatment will not be the same. In most cases, eye drops or eye ointment should be used. If conjunctivitis is due to an allergy, your cat will need anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of corticosteroids. If it is an infection, a bactericidal ophthalmic ointment should be applied.
In the most serious forms, antibiotics should be given in addition to an ointment or eye drops. These antibiotics can be injected if conjunctivitis is very advanced. Otherwise, these antibiotics may be administered orally. You will need to continue the treatment by cleaning the eye and eyelids with eye drops or the solution prescribed by your veterinarian. A gauze pad is then used from the inside out so that no more dirt is imported into the eye. Never use hydrophilic cotton wool, as it could deposit fibers inside the eye and create additional irritation, which will help to treat the eye infection, reduce inflammation, but also relieve your cat's pain and make it more bearable by soothing irritated eyes.
Anaplasmosis
Anaplasmosis is a bacterial infection of the blood transmitted by ticks. Rare in cats, it is easily treated, but the diagnosis remains difficult to establish.
Anaplasmosis is a bacterial infectious disease. It is transmitted to the cat by a tick bite. Even if the cat appears to be more resistant than the dog to this type of pathology, it is not excluded that he may catch it.
Two forms of infection
anaplasmosis
Anaplasmosis is one of the vector-borne blood diseases, in which case the vector is the tick. However, there are two forms of bacterial infection due to anaplasma. Ixode-type ticks, present in the northern hemisphere and cold regions, transmit the anaplasma phagocytophilum bacterium and cause feline granulometry anaplasmosis. Blood Rhipiceptalus ticks transmit the anaplasma platys bacteria responsible for cyclic thrombocytopenia. This second form is the most common and results in a decrease in the number of blood platelets. The tick in question grows in temperate and tropical regions.
Symptoms of anaplasmosis
A cat suffering from anaplasmosis presents different symptoms which should, however, be compared with a possibility of infection: fever, anemia, neutropenia, pallor of the mucous membranes. These symptoms are not very severe. The most specific is often a tendency to hemorrhage: the cat bleeds from the nose, has blood in the urine or stool, etc.
The diagnosis of anaplasmosis
There are several possibilities for the veterinarian when he suspects anaplasmosis. The blood smear followed by a microscopic study to observe the presence of bacteria (they have the form of morulas) may be uncertain if the decrease in blood platelet count is intermittent. Serological tests can reveal the presence of anti-anaplasma spp antibodies, and a molecular analysis, called PCR, can be performed to detect bacterial DNA.
The treatment of anaplasmosis
The treatment of anaplasmosis is both specific and effective. It consists of administering doxycycline to the cat. The cat begins to heal after 24 or 48 hours. The treatment lasts from fifteen days to one month. It can be supplemented by a weekly platelet count.
Conjunctivitis of the cat
Cat conjunctivitis is quite common. It can be contagious, but only between cats. It can have different causes, from simple dust in the eye to a more serious viral infection. Your cat's eyes are running, the eyelids can be glued, the third eyelid can be visible. In all cases, it is advisable to consult your veterinarian.
Symptoms of cat conjunctivitis
THE CAUSES OF CONJUNCTIVITIS
The causes of conjunctivitis are varied. These causes can be more or less serious and can lead to conjunctivitis in one or both eyes. Your cat may be allergic to pollens or grasses. As in humans, these allergens can trigger transient conjunctivitis. It can also be a "simple" irritation when in contact with a speck of dust.
One of the most common causes of conjunctivitis is coryza. It is a disease developed in contact with other cats. One of the strains of the virus, Herpes Virus, triggers conjunctivitis. It can be latent for several years and can be revealed in case of stress or weakening of your cat. Kittens are the most affected by this form of conjunctivitis. Chlamydia is also one of the causes of conjunctivitis: it is particularly aggressive and causes major swelling of the conjunctiva.
Most often, conjunctivitis is not serious, but if no treatment is put in place, the entire eye can be affected and vision can be impaired. It may also be a symptom of another disease such as feline immunodeficiency virus.
SYMPTOMS OF CAT CONJUNCTIVITIS
The symptoms of conjunctivitis are not always the same and vary according to the cause. In any case, your cat will have runny eyes. If these discharges are thick, yellowish or greenish, an infection has developed: pus can form and prevent the eyelids from opening completely. If it is an allergy or irritation caused by dust, the flows will remain quite clear. Whatever the form of conjunctivitis, your cat will blink more frequently and the third eyelid may be permanently visible. He's going to rub his eyes with his paws because they can itch him. Finally, the sick eye may be red and swollen.
The diagnosis of feline conjunctivitis
If one or both of your cat's eyes start to leak, you need a diagnosis from your veterinarian. He alone can determine the cause of the inflammation and therefore prescribe appropriate treatment. He will take a swab sample. He may request a bacteriological examination on this swab or a viral search.
The treatment of conjunctivitis
Depending on the origin of conjunctivitis, the treatment will not be the same. In most cases, eye drops or eye ointment should be used. If conjunctivitis is due to an allergy, your cat will need anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of corticosteroids. If it is an infection, a bactericidal ophthalmic ointment should be applied.
In the most serious forms, antibiotics should be given in addition to an ointment or eye drops. These antibiotics can be injected if conjunctivitis is very advanced. Otherwise, these antibiotics may be administered orally. You will need to continue the treatment by cleaning the eye and eyelids with eye drops or the solution prescribed by your veterinarian. A gauze pad is then used from the inside out so that no more dirt is imported into the eye. Never use hydrophilic cotton wool, as it could deposit fibers inside the eye and create additional irritation, which will help to treat the eye infection, reduce inflammation, but also relieve your cat's pain and make it more bearable by soothing irritated eyes.
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